There exists in China a bridge that only dreams are made of for some, while it remains very much a nightmare for others. The bridge in question is the glass bridge in the Huangchuan Three Gorges Scenic Area, a part of Southern China that runs along the Lianjiang River. This glass walkway hovers over the river below, giving visitors the feeling of walking on air which is thrilling, and a little bit terrifying.
The bridge opened for the first time this year with many anxious visitors waiting with courageous anticipation. Gliding across this magnificent modern marvel is nothing short of surreal, with incredible views of the river below and lush forest surrounding those daring enough to walk across. Both the bridge's views and its construction are tremendous and as architecture changes and evolves, we can only expect to see more of these daredevil structures popping up around the world.
The Construction Of The Bridge
The bridge itself sits at a dizzying height of 660 feet above the river below and the entirety of the bridge spans 1,726 feet across. While the bridge looks narrow from above, it actually spans a distance of 28 feet across at its platforms, allowing plenty of room between visitors to observe, view, and even take photos while crossing the bridge. This incredible structure was designed by the Architectural Design & Research Institute of Zhejiang University and it was no small feat.
Some who cross the bridge might wonder how safe it really is but fear not - the construction of the glass walkway consists of three layers of laminated glass. This glass comes out to a thickness of nearly two inches and serves as a sturdy base for the number of visitors it sees throughout the year.
Speaking of accommodating visitors, the bridge has the capacity to hold roughly 500 people at one time. This might seem like a large number at first but given the sheer size and length of the bridge, this means 500 will fit comfortably without being overcrowded or putting too much stress on the supports. Everything about this bridge was designed with both modern and striking visuals in mind, with the stainless steel supports at either end painted in a vibrant red and its main cables towering high above the platforms themselves. It truly is partly an architectural masterpiece and partly a work of art.
China, in particular, is known for both its skill and fascination with glass bridges. With over 2,300 in the country alone, this bridge is only the most recent - and longest - to ever break world records. However, the building of this bridge has also set off a type of frenzy and now other daring architectural projects are competing for the title of the longest, biggest, and most shocking glass bridge to ever be built.
The interesting thing about all of these bridges is that each one brings with it a unique sense of thrill or terror, for some. While other bridges are shorter, they tower at heights that are nearly double or triple what this one sits at. And one bridge, in particular, the Hongyagu suspension bridge, was actually designed to sway as visitors walked across it. Obviously, this was something that was terrifying on top of walking so many miles above a canyon and definitely isn't for everyone. For those who appreciate a thrill, though, bridges such as these become major tourist destinations and hotspots for adrenaline junkies.
With that being said, there is the issue of overtourism. While it's a term mostly used to describe the overtourism of popular landmarks or natural settings, it's now being applied to works of architectural grandeur as well. With death-defying bridges such as these, hundreds and even thousands of people are drawn to it from all over the world, which then becomes a strain on both the structure and the tourism industry as they can only allow so many on the bridge at one time.
One bridge, the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge, had this exact problem. While it drew an enormous amount of attention and brought tourists from all over, experts were faced with a decision as to whether or not the bridge could actually sustain such popularity. It was closed two weeks after its opening due to the sheer number of people wanting to experience it for themselves, something that's highly unusual when it comes to tourist attractions, especially one that can be as gut-wrenching as this.